Premier League Table: Updated 2015 EPL Standings Following Matchday 20 Results
Fittingly, New Year's Day marked a metaphorical fresh start for clubs around the Premier League as they kicked off the second half of the campaign. The full slate of matches produced some surprises to get the new portion of the season off to an entertaining start.
For now, it appears Chelsea and Manchester City are set for an extended battle to determine the champion, barring an outstanding run by another club. A much larger group is involved in the race to fill the other European spots, highlighted of course by the fight for a Champions League place.
Let's check out how the table sets up following Matchday 20 along with a complete list of results for Thursday's action. That's followed by a closer look at three of the most noteworthy outcomes to open 2015 play in the Premier League.
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2015 Premier League Table
| 1 | Chelsea | 20 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 46 |
| 2 | Manchester City | 20 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 46 |
| 3 | Manchester United | 20 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 37 |
| 4 | Southampton | 20 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 19 | 36 |
| 5 | Tottenham | 20 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 34 |
| 6 | Arsenal | 20 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 33 |
| 7 | West Ham | 20 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 32 |
| 8 | Liverpool | 20 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 29 |
| 9 | Swansea | 20 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 29 |
| 10 | Newcastle | 20 | 7 | 6 | 7 | -6 | 27 |
| 11 | Stoke | 20 | 7 | 5 | 8 | -2 | 26 |
| 12 | Aston Villa | 20 | 5 | 7 | 8 | -11 | 22 |
| 13 | Everton | 20 | 5 | 6 | 9 | -4 | 21 |
| 14 | Sunderland | 20 | 3 | 11 | 6 | -12 | 20 |
| 15 | Hull | 20 | 4 | 7 | 9 | -6 | 19 |
| 16 | QPR | 20 | 5 | 4 | 11 | -13 | 19 |
| 17 | West Brom | 20 | 4 | 6 | 10 | -10 | 18 |
| 18 | Crystal Palace | 20 | 3 | 8 | 9 | -10 | 17 |
| 19 | Burnley | 20 | 3 | 8 | 9 | -15 | 17 |
| 20 | Leicester | 20 | 3 | 5 | 12 | -14 | 14 |
Matchday 20 Scores
| Jan. 1 | Stoke | Manchester United | 1-1 |
| Jan. 1 | Aston Villa | Crystal Palace | 0-0 |
| Jan. 1 | Hull | Everton | 2-0 |
| Jan. 1 | Liverpool | Leicester | 2-2 |
| Jan. 1 | Manchester City | Sunderland | 3-2 |
| Jan. 1 | Newcastle | Burnley | 3-3 |
| Jan. 1 | QPR | Swansea | 1-1 |
| Jan. 1 | Southampton | Arsenal | 2-0 |
| Jan. 1 | West Ham | West Brom | 1-1 |
| Jan. 1 | Tottenham | Chelsea | 5-3 |
Notable Results
Liverpool 2, Leicester City 2
Every time it seems like Liverpool are starting to make some progress they suffer a setback. Thursday's match was just the latest example as they let a two-goal lead, created by a pair of Steven Gerrard penalty conversions, slip away against the league's cellar dwellers.
David Nugent and Jeffrey Schlupp scored less than three minutes apart around the hour mark to quickly erase any positive vibes built up by the Reds. The home side couldn't bounce back to find a winner, either. As Mister Chip notes, that led to a unique distinction:
"LIV 2-2 LEI (FT) - Liverpool spoil a 2 goal halftime advantage at Anfield for the FIRST TIME in PL history
— MisterChip (English) (@MisterChiping) January 1, 2015"
Those are the points Liverpool simply can't afford to let slip away over the remaining portion of the campaign. They are now seven points behind the Champions League pace, which leaves them with very little margin for error given the high number of clubs in the race.
The biggest concern is the lack of finishing touch on the attack. Mario Balotelli obviously hasn't provided the instant impact the Reds were hoping for and nobody has stepped up to fill the void. If that doesn't change, the frustration will continue.
Southampton 2, Arsenal 0
Southampton continue to hang around. Saints had faded a bit, which didn't come as a major surprise after their red-hot start. But Thursday's victory gives them a spot in the top four in the second half of the term, something few people probably predicted back during the summer.
It was a forgettable performance from the Gunners. Wojciech Szczesny struggled in goal, they didn't win enough battles in the midfield and the attack never found a spark. The lack of options up front certainly played a role as Arsene Wenger attempts to find the right combination.
The question is whether Arsenal will make any marquee moves in January to spark a run or stand pat while hoping for better form. The loss to open 2015 may push them more toward the former option before a UCL spot begins to slip away.
Southampton deserve a lot of credit, though. They are not the most talented squad in the league but they are playing their system to near perfection. With each passing week it becomes tougher to write them off as a flash in the pan.
Tottenham 5, Chelsea 3
Those spending New Year's Day at White Hart Lane witnessed a thriller. Eight goals were scored and the home side scored a much-needed victory to move into fifth. Harry Kane led the way for Spurs with a pair of goals.
Tottenham have quietly moved up into fifth place, just three points behind Manchester United for third. It's been a steady climb while sitting outside the spotlight. That's perfectly fine with Mauricio Pochettino, who's happy with the progress, as noted by the club:
Since the club faced a high rate of turnover in recent years, the slow start wasn't a shock. Things are starting to come together now and the play of rising stars like Kane and Andros Townsend is a major part of that success. Now they must find a way to build on it.
As for Chelsea, this minor lull was basically inevitable after their outstanding start. Now the key is getting back in top form before they allow City to start building a lead. The talent is there to win the title, but the Blues must rebound sooner rather than later.
